Unicorns
Deep in the woodlands of Thelania the worlds protectors of nature dwell, far from the cities of man. Though they call themselves Laughn, most know them better as Unicorns, creatures of Myth and guardians of the forests and animals. The Laughn were never a people of very high population even in the days of old, though now they have been hunted for sport and by those seeking power from their horns and blood and few remain throughout the lands any longer. Wielding raw magic they defend their home forests from the touch of mankind and help to nourish the land and animals under their care. AppearanceCategory:SettingCategory:Races of Myth Unicorns are, in their natural forms, as one would expect quite equine in appearance, with typically slender and agile frames, cloven hooves and lithe tufted tails. The most notable feature of a unicorn is of course their singular horn which sprouts from the center of their forehead, coming in varying lengths and shapes depending upon heritage. Laughn come in a few kinds, from the most common Sylalaughn with white coats, to the sable pelted Mirilaughn. The mane and tail tufts of a unicorn are always of the same color as one another though different to the color of their bodies, likewise their horns and hooves are of another color. A unicorns eyes usually match their hooves and horn but some select few have possessed eyes of another hue, usually from some relation with another race. Though it is not an innate ability by any means some Laughn possess the means with which to take on a near human form, such means being a specially crafted staff infused with Laughn magics to aid specifically in this transformation. When in these forms unicorns look almost human though bear some key differences, their legs typically retain a horse-like shape with hooves, their ears are long and pointed looking similar to those of an elf, or even still retaining a more horse-like shape and they still bear their horn and tail as well. In these near human forms their skin takes on the shade of their pelt with their hair taking on that of their mane, making them appear even further set apart from most Races of Man with such unusual shades. Because of their sizes in their natural forms Laughn in near-human shapes are usually quite large in stature, frequently reaching 6 feet tall on average. Sylalaughn Also know as Sun Unicorns, Dawn Unicorns or simply as Unicorns these are the most common type of Laughn. Typically Sylalaughn have manes, hooves and horns of golden or 'sun-burst' color, few bearing other shades such as silver manes. Their bodies are white coated and their horns are usually of thin twist patterns. Sylalaughn are often slightly larger than other varieties of Unicorn and are known sometime to be somewhat fiercer in their protection of the woods. Like their hooves and horns Sylalaughn often have eyes of golden hue. Mirilaughn Mirilaughn, also known as Midnight Unicorns or Moonlight Unicorns often have silver or 'moon-grass' manes, horns and hooves, with some small number bearing golden shades instead. Their pelts are black and their horns are usually smooth and curved slightly upward in their shape. Eyes are typically silver like their horns and hooves. The Mirilaughn are somewhat smaller and more lithe of build than the Sylalaughn and usually less bold though they are nimble and surefooted and take their defense of the woodland very seriously. Lonilaughn The rarest of perhaps simply the most difficult to find, the Lonilaughn are known also as the Dusk Unicorns, Shadow Unicorns or Shaded Unicorns. These Laughn have grey-brown coats that blend remarkably well with surroundings, green-grey manes and bronze horns and hooves. Being of considerably smaller stature than other Laughn the Lonilaughn have small stubby but graceful horns and are exceptional at moving unseen and unheard even through the thickest forest. Their eyes are usually bronze and they are a soft spoken and shy people, even by Laughn standards. Traits & Abilities Unicorns are a fast maturing though remarkably long lived race, reaching full physical and mental maturity at around four years of age and living on for up to thousands of years. Though this may seem like an incredibly short time in which to grow to adulthood to most races it serves as ample time for Laughn to learn and grow under the watchful eyes of their parents deep in their woodland homes. Of course growing up so quickly and in such far removed regions leaves most unicorns quite inexperienced and unfamiliar with most of the outside world beyond the dangers that it and the creatures within it pose to the forest and its animals. Something that dramatically sets Unicorns apart from the Races of Man excluding their appearance is their unique usage of magic as a Race of Myth. Unlike other races Laughn utilize magic in its raw form rather than in pre-shaped spells, as such their mastery over it must be learned quickly as strong emotions such as fear can result in disastrous effects if untrained. The horn of a unicorn is the catalyst through which one channels their magic when calling it into shape, for this reason they are highly prized by mages who seek to utilize their innate power, though the practice of hunting Unicorns has long been outlawed in most lands. A Laughn cannot live on if it loses its horn and will begin to Fade. Fading is a slow and unpleasant process through which a Laughn will, as the name implies, fade from life, losing their horn is only one means through which a unicorn might Fade. Similarly a trapped or otherwise stranded unicorn that is kept from its home in the woodlands and which remains frightened and unhappy for too long will begin to Fade. When a Laughn Fades its coat, mane, horns and hooves all begin to lose their luster, and the creature will lose its ability to use magic. A loss of appetite and the dwindling of its magic mean that they quickly begin to wither and weaken, often falling ill as their bodies shut down. By the time that a Fading Laughn is nearly dead its horn and even blood will bear no magic at all any longer and the weak and miserable unicorn will pass away. History The exact origins of Unicorns are somewhat a mystery, as one of the oldest races in Thelania they have inhabited the lands since long before the appearance of most Races of Man. Always a rather reclusive race the Laughn have ever been found spread throughout the continents, wherever there is a forest there has likely at least at some point lived a unicorn within it. Whether the race can trace its spread population back as far as the shift of landmasses is uncertain but would explain much considering that they are certainly not a seafaring peoples. Throughout known history Unicorns have kept to themselves, often left entirely unknown to many people save those that dare to venture or live within the woodlands. Of the races of man they have had closest relations with those such as elves and other fae, though such interactions are brief even so. Around the beginning of the Sunburst Era the already low numbers of Unicorns dwindled considerably as the hunting of their kind alongside Dragons and many other magical creatures became much more prevalent for a time. Steadfast in their duties to the forests the Laughn refused to flee beyond their own borders in search of safety and hundreds were slaughtered for magical and alchemical components and trophies. It was not until near 30 SE and as late as 40 SE in some lands that the practice of hunting Unicorns and many other such creatures was banned as they neared the verge of extinction. Some peoples, such as some settlements of forest dwellers had done their best to protect the Unicorns near their own homelands during the hunts but Laughn are prideful and stubborn and have learned to fear and sometimes even to hate most Races of Man and thus many shunned what help was offered while others were still found and killed for sport in spite of all effort. Culture & Lore Laughn have long been the defenders of the forests of Thelania, their native name bearing the meaning of marking them as the children of nature. From the time that a unicorn reaches adulthood and has learned control of its magics it must venture out from the woodland of its parents and find a new range of forest to claim responsibility over. Should a unicorns parents die before it has ventured out it must take over the woodland left untended by its parents, it is considered an immensely important part of Laughn culture to protect their forests and the creatures therein. Unicorns, having no hands in their natural forms with which to craft, make no manner of clothing, or other wares that many races use from day to day. As a herbivorous race and one with the talent to communicate and work with animals they have no predators to fear and thus no need for weaponry either. Their dwellings are formed of trees and plants nourished by magic to twine together and shelter them from weather deep within the forests. Though Laughn can and do speak they have no written language and in fact would seem to most to possess no language of their own at all. This however is not true, Unicorns indeed have a tongue unique to their kind but it consists mostly of sounds and body language unfamiliar to most people and what words it does incorporate are used only amongst their own kind. Being such a magically inclined race Laughn innately understand both animals and the languages of mankind though much of the meaning of many words may be lost upon them, terms as simple as plate or chair holding no connected definition to those who are unfamiliar with such objects used by mankind. Unicorn Staffs Though they do not craft much for themselves there are a small number of artifacts attributed to the Laughn whether of their own make or not, their staffs being one such object. Unicorn staffs are the means through which a unicorn may take on a near-human form. As the story goes a unicorn fell in love with a creature of man, unable to transform like dragons and their kin the unicorn sought out the aid of such a creature and pleaded for help, the dragon forged a staff and with the unicorn enchanted it with magic that would allow the unicorn to take on the guise of mankind. Such staffs of lower power allowing for near-human transformations have been found among unicorns for centuries though they are rare still, if wielded by another they may be used to force a transformation but only work on unicorns, however it requires the usage of Laughn magics, meaning that a non-unicorn must channel their spells through the horn or blood of a unicorn to use it. Trivia * Unicorn horns and blood are used in magic from rituals to casting implements. * Their manes are silky and never tangle maintaining a lustrous shine and are highly prized for clothwork, though hard to come by as most unicorns are not willing to let their manes be cut. * Unicorns do not typically have any surnames, only a given name, should they take on any further title it is usually the name of their home woodland. * Notable Unicorns from the Thelania stories include: Lunelynn (Mirilaughn). Category:Races Category:Fauna